As Prof. Robeck embarks on his journey with APU and DLH, his presence not only enriches the educational landscape of Malaysia but also strengthens global bonds in pursuit of sustainable development and shared prosperity.

Professor Dr. Edward C. Robeck, the Director of Education and Outreach at the American Geosciences Institute (AGI).

The Digital Learning Hub (DLH) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is buzzing with excitement as it welcomes back Professor Dr. Edward C. Robeck, the Director of Education and Outreach at the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), to Malaysia for a three-week attachment.

Prof. Robeck’s journey to Malaysia is more than just an attachment; it is a mission to advance sustainability-focused education, made possible through his role as a Fulbright Specialist at APU.

His work in Malaysia builds upon AGI’s commitment to infuse the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into geoscience education, especially at the pre-college level.

Prof. Robeck is also a specialist in trainer-the-trainer for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields, thus making his attachment at DLH a dual-prong initiative.

During his Fulbright Specialist assignment, Prof. Robeck aims to share insights gleaned from AGI’s endeavours while also immersing himself in Malaysia’s educational ecosystem.

Through teaching sessions, curriculum design projects, and collaborative dialogues with educators and officials, he seeks to empower Malaysian educators to integrate SDGs seamlessly into their teaching practices.

“Malaysian educators are embracing the SDGs as a framework for making learning relevant and enabling young people to take positive action in their lives and communities.

“Empowering and encouraging young people to take meaningful action is recognised by the UN and others as fundamental to sustainable development. AGI is committed to furthering this important work for the good of people and the planet,” said Prof. Robeck.

Prof. Robeck’s assignment is a testament to AGI’s partnership with APU, particularly in the context of a partner to the APU-UNESCO Chair in Harnessing Innovations in Technology to Support Teachers and Quality Learning.

Spearheaded by Prof. Dr. Abtar Darshan Singh, Director of APU’s Digital Learning Hub and UNESCO Chair, this initiative explores how technology can amplify educational opportunities, with a keen focus on sustainable development.

During his visit last year to APU, Prof. Robeck had two days of demonstration lessons with students from several private and public schools.

According to Prof. Abtar, Prof. Robeck’s involvement will be pivotal in various projects undertaken by the DLH, including the Sustainable Development Goals in Curriculum (SDGiC) project which has culminated in a set on modules to be offered via Micro-credentials to teachers in Malaysia on how to integrate SDGs into their existing curricula.

“This collaborative effort aims to equip teachers with the tools and knowledge needed to seamlessly integrate SDGs into their teaching practices, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.

“Prof. Robeck and the SDGiC team will meet with officials of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to strategies the implementation of the SDGiC micro credentials.

“Other projects will involve training of APU academics on SDGs and their connection to the modules being taught here at APU,” she explains.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational and cultural exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

The program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide, enables participants to address global issues while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States.

In November 2022, Prof. Robeck spent 10 days at APU sharing the SDGiC curriculum. He led workshops where both APU faculty members and Malaysian students aged 13 to 14 participated.

The workshops were focused on exploring how existing educational modules could be connected to the UN SDGs.

He also trained APU academics, and he discovered that many of APU academics were already well-versed in the SDGs, with some even teaching about them explicitly.

As Prof. Robeck embarks on his journey with APU and DLH, his presence not only enriches the educational landscape of Malaysia but also strengthens global bonds in pursuit of sustainable development and shared prosperity.